


no greater love than this

by llien



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Everyone loves Sora, Found Family, Gen, M/M, Meet the Family, Nobility, Pre-Relationship, Solarpunk AU, except its the only fic of the entire au so far, riku is kind of jerk but he doesnt mean to be, roxas is a jerk too but his is intentional, this is like a missing scene fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-12
Updated: 2020-06-12
Packaged: 2021-03-03 23:33:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,824
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24673918
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/llien/pseuds/llien
Summary: Thieved from his white tower of nobility and pedigree, Sora led Riku down the multi-hued market cast in chrome shadows interspersed with golden sunlight. He trailed Sora through the winding buildings growing ivy and vines and pretty clovers, to the once-gorgeous, now-dilapidated cafe sitting on the bank of a churning teal river.The caged garden in front shielded Riku's eyes from the sun with tall trees and vines of ripe fruit and vegetables, turning the light emerald and moss-green. The stained glass windows of the cafe shone like jewels and pretty candy through breaks in the foliage.It was a dazzling world that met Riku at the crumbling edge of the floating islands.
Relationships: Riku/Sora (Kingdom Hearts), Roxas & Sora (Kingdom Hearts)
Comments: 6
Kudos: 59
Collections: Ixnael’s Recommendations, Ixnael’s SFW corner





	no greater love than this

**Author's Note:**

> Solarpunk au was born with Cru, Pea, and Mim, and even though I always mean to write the entire story, I can barely juggle the ongoing wip I have now. Hopefully one day I can, so for now enjoy this little snippet of Riku stumbling into the abandoned cafe the heart squad calls home.

It was probably a gorgeous cafe before it'd been abandoned and overrun with orphans, Riku thought.

Their dining table before him was covered in food. The tablecloth was stained and well-worn, with a tear on one side, and none of the dishes _matched_ per se. They were a myriad of colorful glasses, purples and reds and greens and blues and yellows. The places were all set and Riku idled nervously to the side as they chose their seats, frowning at the mismatched dishware. He'd never sat to dinner before at a setting so... odd.

Despite the gorgeous exterior that suggested prior wealth, the cafe sat so close to the edge of the islands that the dense grove of woods — which surrounded most of the lower districts to prevent people from straying too close to the edge of the floating islands — was just on the other side of the wide river hugging the edge of the cafe. It was a deep river, with churning currents that discouraged swimming or fishing. 

Riku had never been this close to the edge before. He'd _seen_ the span of the islands from high above, in the crystal and steel castle that shined at the pinnacle of their mountainous islands, but seeing the distant sky horizon was different than knowing that if he crossed that river, he could find the crumbling edges of the islands.

Unbidden and unwanted, he remembered the hushed conversation he'd overheard from his cousin. Of the way the islands was crumbling at the edges. How pieces broke off with buildings clinging to it, the roots of trees dangling from the earth still holding itself together. He shook the ridiculous thoughts away. The islands had floated for a thousand years and they'd float for a thousand more.

Instead, he turned to survey more of Sora's home. Evening sunlight streamed in through the bay windows over the platform Riku assumed used to be a stage before they converted it into a lounge area. From the patio where outdoor seating likely had been, the green-blue reflection of the river the cafe overlooked glittered on the ceiling. A few of the lamps had automatically flickered on, but there were enough windows and skylights to still keep the entire cafe lit up. 

The long dining table sat eight, an awkward edition beside the open faced kitchen. Sora had told him in passing that their home was an abandoned cafe, and it showed in the industrial kitchen installed behind the bar filled with uniform open holes that used to house coffee presses and steamers' wires. Some of the crumbling wall between the bar and kitchen hinted at a chalkboard backing, but most of the exposed brick poked through, and at the highest the wall barely reached Riku's chest, ascending and descending like a craggly mountainscape of architecture. 

Riku had barely had a moment to peek at the rest of their cafe-home. Only a handful of the original tables and chairs remained, the open floor plan taken up by artfully arranged furniture likely fished out of dumps and recycling lots to mimic sectioned off rooms. A small living room there, a TV over there, what looked like a bench covered in wires and taken apart clocks and toasters. Some of the same... experiments, Riku guessed, had taken over the bar, where plenty of outlets were available now that they didn't house coffee makers.

A cylindrical metal staircase led up to a second floor Riku hadn't seen, but a few of Sora's friends had emerged from it. 

Xion hopped into the seat in front of the clutter of purple dishware on the table, Ven in front of the green, Vanitas lounged in a chair with red and Roxas shot one last glare at Riku before sliding into his in front of the blue dishes. Every seat except for the last two at the table and the head chairs were filled, but Riku counted only one placement left — a collection of pale yellow and clear dishes at one end.

For Sora, obviously.

Riku's stomach dropped and he made sure it wouldn't show on his face, tightening his hands into fists at the implied exclusion. Maybe he wasn't wanted here, despite Sora's assurances. Roxas had made it more than clear that he didn't trust Riku as far as he could throw him, and Vanitas had been even _less_ friendly, which Riku hadn't thought possible. Xion was a distant if ambivalent face, and Ven, while pleasant, seemed more distracted with dinner making than befriending Riku. 

He cleared his throat, discomfort turning into irritation. If he wasn't here then he didn't _have_ to be here. He could be at home, eating a glamorous spread of food on matching dishware and spotless linen alone. He stood in a pool of warm sunlight from one of the skylights, shifting his weight from foot to foot as he felt acutely aware of how even his most casual clothes still stood out. It heightened the deafening sense that he didn't belong, that he was a loud and obnoxious sore spot in the room of hand-me-down's and scavenged items. 

For a moment, he almost turned around. Marched right out of their ridiculous abandoned cafe home and through the clustered and crowded market streets dyed in chrome shadows until he found a working monostation that could zip him straight back home.

Then Sora popped back from under the counters, hidden behind the half-destroyed rubble of a brick wall that would have properly separated the professional kitchen from the bar and subsequent dining area of the cafe. His brown hair was damp with water and he held up a baking dish with gloved hands. "It's done!" He said cheerily, and then, a little mischievously, "and perfectly, too. No timer."

"Ugh, _Sora,"_ Ven muttered, and Riku blinked. Wait, no, that was Roxas. Ven was the one laughing in a snorting stop-start way. "Stop bragging every single time."

"Come on guys, I gotta take my wins where I can," Sora pouted, practically skipping over to set the dish down in the middle of the spread of other foods. Homegrown vegetables, pasta, salads, bread, and the deep dish Sora gingerly placed between it all created a massive, if humble feast. "Riku I bet even your fancy chefs can't get food _this_ perfect."

For a moment, Riku's nasty upbringing snidely thought, _uhm, I'm pretty sure they can,_ because his family insisted on the best of everything. Anything less than perfect, erring just out of line, was met with a zero tolerance policy that extended even to their own blood. Unfortunately, you couldn't just fire your son, so more creative means were required. He squashed the mean thought, though. Sora was more forgiving of his sharp tongue, but he didn't doubt for a second that Roxas wouldn't take it as an excuse to kick him out.

He pursed his lips at that thought, glancing at the lack of a place for him to sit. Clearly Sora meant for Riku to enjoy this meal, but none of his little ragtag group had gotten the memo.

Sora threw his oven mitts over the rabble wall, and they landed right on top of each other on the counter, neatly stacked. He headed to the head of the table, and Riku couldn't help overlaying the scene before him with his own experiences of what a family dinner was like.

Xehanort, imposing and distant at the head, and the rest of his proxy taking their seats in descending order, all with scowls or disinterested, blank expressions. 

"Sora," and Riku blinked out of his own thoughts, looking to who had spoken. Vanitas was scowling, one elbow on the table and two fingers holding his temple up where he slouched. His dark brow was arched, and even though Riku literally came from the most powerful family on the islands, he couldn't help but find his golden stare intimidating. Not that Riku was cowed, but it made him alert. There was a dangerous way to how Vanitas moved, not like Roxas. Roxas needed to be provoked into action — Vanitas was an instigator, an agitator. 

He had looked at Riku when they first met, a sharp and quick up-down of his gaze, and he'd laughed. So Riku was surprised when now he pointed a lazy finger towards him. "You forgot your new boytoy."

 _"Vanitas!"_ Roxas snapped, instantly going from lax conversation with Xion to whipping around to face him. They sat across from each other, the first two chairs beside Sora. Riku held no delusions that he was offended on _Riku's_ behalf — probably, he thought it was an insult to Sora. His blond hair looked closed to Ven's platinum, making Riku struggle to differentiate them without Roxas' black hoodie on. His eyes were flashing with his anger, but Vanitas didn't seem to care.

He shrugged, unapologetic, but the nasty grin he wore told Riku he was more than amused. It was less smile and more a display of teeth, and the two fingers of his hand curled lax into his palm were painted black.

"Oh," Sora said, "knew I was forgetting something!" And just that easily he half jogged to the kitchen. The table fell into quiet, Roxas glaring at Vanitas as Ven whispered something into his ear that Riku couldn't hear above the clatter in the kitchen. After some rummaging through the cabinets still intact, he came out with more yellow dishware, a few clear ones and one example pink plate that he waved to catch Riku's attention. "Here! We have the clear colored ones and the yellow ones. Everyone's kinda picky about which ones they have, so whichever you pick you're stuck with."

The implication of future meals where Riku would have the same dishes again warmed him. Fighting down the pleased blushed and biting back his smile, Riku mumbled, "Yellow is fine."

Yellow was the color of the poor. Yellow was the common sunshine, the clothes faded a dirty beige from use and sunlight stains. Yellow was the amber of the paved streets in the lower districts; the curving turmeric swathes of fabric stretching between buildings to provide shade to the multicolored market stalls below. No one wore yellow where Riku lived, and he was certainly forbidden from it. 

But yellow was exciting. It was _new._ It was Sora, and his family of thieves and pickpockets, and it was _his_ dishware now. 

Sora beamed and collected the rest of the clear and gold-tinted dishes, quickly swapping out the few gold ones he had at his place and then setting Riku's down beside Ven's. They both took their seats, and Ven gave Riku a flashing grin. 

Now that Riku was sitting level beside them, he realized it _hadn't_ been because he was standing. 

_They really were all that short._

Riku sucked his lips in to prevent the burst of laughter as he saw clear over their heads. Sora said they weren't related at all, but he was finding that hard to believe with two blondes and three brunettes all the exact same height. It felt a little like he was playing house with Namine and her array of stuffed animals, back when they'd still seen glimpses of each other as kids.

For a moment, Riku wished Sora would've sat beside him, but he figured routine was too much of a habit and Sora hadn't thought Riku would be uncomfortable on his own. Hesitantly, Riku slid a finger along the thin glass of the plate. It had a few chips that he could feel tug at his skin as he traced its circumference, but it was clean, he noted with a guilty conscience. Of course they wouldn't serve him on dirty plates, but Riku didn't have a frame for reference on what... living in the lower districts was like.

In the sunlight his dishes gleamed an elegant gold, and the entire table glimmered like stained glass. Sora's was the only clear colorless set.

"Let's eat!" Sora said the moment he slung into his throne of a chair, which was different and unique as all the other chairs at the table. The red brocade was stained and faded in some places, but it suited Sora's dark brown hair and tanned skin. Sitting like a king at a feast for the damned, Riku thought. 

_"Finally,"_ Vanitas groused, grunting when Ven elbowed him. "What?" He shoved Ven hard enough he bumped into Riku, and they started a quick scuffle that Riku shifted his chair sideways away from. 

His straight-back wooden chair had a threadbare cushion that in Riku's fine opinion did absolutely nothing to soften the hard seat, and he tried to subtly find a comfortable spot. The rest of Sora's family wasted no time in diving in as Ven and Vanitas squabbled. Xion dug into the deep dish and Roxas went straight for the pasta.

"Seriously, Roxas?" Sora said, sounding exhausted. "You _always_ eat spaghetti."

"Because it's always good," Roxas muttered defensively, coloring as his eyes flickered towards Riku and away just as quickly. Riku blinked. "I don't even know what's hiding under that crust," he added, poking his blue colored fork at the baking dish. 

Xion dug the chef knife in and used the flat of the blade to lift the slice out. Riku had no idea what it was but it did look good.

"Does it matter? It's going to taste fantastic anyways," Sora said confidently, but his eyes were drifting towards Ven and Vanitas. "I'm the one who made it."

"Oh, woah, look at Mr. 5-star-chef here," Roxas said, holding his hands up. In that moment, Xion took the chance to slide the food onto Roxas' plate instead of her. "Xion! No! Take it back!"

"Too late, it touched your blue plate," Xion said primly, smile smug as she cut another slice for herself. Noticing no one had touched the salad yet, Riku awkwardly reached over to dish himself some. Salad was harmless, right? For a moment he was nervous that he was out of line, if he should've waited to be served, but no one even batted an eye at him.

Sparks of light erupted next to Riku in tiny palm-sized bursts, and he dropped the ladle with a start. Ven and Vanitas were locked into an aggressive hand-hold, trying to shove each other back as the intensity of their interlock began to skitter along their skin as tangible energy. Riku couldn't see Ven's face from this angle, but Vanitas' gold eyes seemed to glow in their fierce intensity, and he was gritting his teeth. 

"Guys!" Sora said, the edge of his voice just beginning to sound sharp, and instantly the sparkling energy faded. Ven's fluffy blond hair stuck out even more, as if he'd run his hands through it, and Vanitas had a flush high on his cheekbones and his own puffed out hair that really undermined a lot of that earlier intensity. 

And just like that, Riku felt like the playing field had been evened out.

"Sorry," Ven said with a sheepish grin, pulling away from Vanitas. "Just happens sometimes, you know?" He added to Riku. He was still awkwardly hovering over the table where he'd been spooning out salad, and he hastily sat back down. 

What the hell did he _mean_ 'you know?' What had just happened?

Roxas was still hissing at Xion to take it back, and now that they'd calmed down the other two were digging in. Hesitantly, Riku watched a majority of the food disappear.

Fortunately, it didn't seem he was entirely forgotten. Ven blinked at the difference between his full plate and Riku's clashing yellow and green and obviously fought a smile. "Here, what do you want? I'll get it for you."

"What is he, a baby?" Vanitas muttered on Ven's other side, making Riku flush hot with heat.

"Some people were raised with _manners,_ not like a stray cat," Ven said snidely, purposefully turning his back on Vanitas' spluttered response. "Seriously Riku, the foods getting cold."

Riku didn't even know Ven knew his name. "Any of it is fine," he mumbled. He was so far out of his element it wasn't even funny. Suddenly, he wondered if they normally had this much food. Sora had led him through the garden enclosed by the high wall and gate out front, and most of it was just fruits and vegetables. The lack of meat wasn't surprising, and he was sure that bread was homemade too. 

Sobered, Riku said, "I'm not picky," though that was a lie. 

"Good," Ven said, dishing out a little of each from whatever was still available. "It's always a treat to eat Sora's cooking. Comes out perfectly each time."

"Keeping say that, his head can't possibly get any bigger," Roxas added, grinning. 

"I don't have a big head!" Sora protested, then turned to Xion. "Do I?"

"Your head is just fine," Xion placated, but she wasn't even looking at him.

"I slave in the kitchen all day," Sora moaned, slumping in his chair, "and this is the thanks I get."

Ven slid Riku's plate in front of him, and when he took a bite, he hardly tasted the food from how warm he felt. They were teasing each other, but there was no real heat behind the words. Even Roxas, once he ate more pasta, calmed down enough to look at Riku without a scowl. 

They asked Riku about his home, his day-to-day life as a noble, what studying alchemy was like that. Ven asked so many questions Riku forgot to be nervous, and before he knew what he was doing he promised _next time_ he'd bring some materials for Ven to see, and _next time_ he'd be here before dinner. And 'next time' made Riku's heart feel full, and he caught Sora's eye. The smile Sora gave him turned that warmth into a fluttering feeling, and he ducked his head, biting his lip.

By the time they finished dinner, the sun had slipped beneath the horizon line of the islands, and a routine gentle rain began to pitter-patter around the cafe. Riku thought it would be nice to lay down and stare out the skylights as rain formed puddles on them, but Xion had other ideas.

She popped her elbows on the table and cupped her chin in her hands. "Sora, tell us a story."

"Which one?" Sora asked around his mouthful of salad. Roxas, who'd been forced to eat his whole plate, had shoved salad onto Sora's, but he didn't seem to mind as he crunched through the leafy greens. Since agriculture and plant-life was so intertwined with their lives on the floating islands, most people were vegetarian or vegan. 

"The one about the dragons!" Ven said eagerly, leaning forwards to pin Sora with a bright blue gaze as Vanitas groaned and Roxas rolled his eyes.

"But dragons aren't real," Riku blurted. Everybody turned to look at him, and he grew hot under his collar. He reached up self-consciously to rub at his nape. "Everyone knows that." Even the kids in the lower districts, right?

"Duh," Roxas snorted. "Of course they're not real. That's why it's a _story."_

 _Oh,_ Riku thought, cheeks burning. Duh.

"Don't be mean, he doesn't know what Xion meant," Sora chastised, finally swallowing his mouthful. "She's talking about a conversation I overhead at the Xehanort's."

Riku stilled. No one there, including Sora, knew what family Riku came from. He was a well kept secret until he came of age to inherit, and his older cousins had already stepped into the limelight. Ansem and Xemnas had already assumed their places while Riku and the younger Xehanort was still in their studies. The only ones who'd recognize them were the other greater families who all lived in the upper districts.

"They're dangerous," Riku said suddenly, then jerked back. He nervously looked around. There was no way this place would be under their surveillance, but saying anything against his own family would land Riku in a world of trouble.

"Everyone knows that," Roxas replied, mocking Riku. Then, with a level expression, he said, "Our lives aren't as easy as yours. We don't have personal _tutors_ and chefs and maids and butlers. All the food you just ate was either grown in the garden, baked by hand, stolen, or bought with money _from_ stolen goods."

Incensed, Riku sat straight. "You think my life is _easy?"_ He thought of the way Sora sometimes looked at him, of the burning need to hold his hand but never doing it. Of how he knew _exactly_ what his grandfather would say about _Sora,_ about all of them. Of how he'd never had real friends. 

"I know it is!" Roxas snapped. "You've never gone hungry a day in your life!" 

Riku exhaled, all his anger bleeding out of him like he'd been punched in the gut. All his petty thoughts and worldly worries paled in comparison to that. He'd just wondered earlier too, with all the distant sympathy someone of his standing had, if this was all the food they had. He had no idea how to bake bread, or how much the chicken in the dish cost. 

Without meaning to, Riku turned to Ven, who had been the friendliest face after Sora, but Ven studiously refused to meet his gaze, and a cold wave washed over Riku. He'd screwed up. All the earlier warmth fizzled out, and in the ensuing silence Riku could hear the filaments in the lamps vibrate to life over their heads. 

"Enough," Sora said, "don't talk to him like that." Half afraid of the expression he'd find on Sora's face, Riku looked up only to see him staring at Roxas.

Roxas scowled, as he seemed wont to do. "Why? He deserves to hear it."

"It's not Riku's fault," Sora said firmly, "and you're just taking it out on him." 

"Sora," Roxas said. They held each other's gaze for a long moment, something unspoken passing between them, and Roxas sighed, shoulders drooping. "Fine." Sora's grin was forgiving and warm, and he reached over to wrap Roxas in a tight, close hug. It was interesting to watch his cheeks turn pink. "Okay, okay, enough already," he groused, but he didn't pull away first. 

"Let's move to the stage!" Ven said eagerly, as if the entire altercation hadn't happened. "Vanitas _you_ got dish-duty tonight."

"What!" He snapped. "No. It's definitely Roxas."

"Check the list," Roxas said smugly. There was a scuffle as Ven and Vanitas shot towards the refrigerator to investigate a paper list stuck there with a magnet. Ven's cheer _almost_ muffled Vanitas' incensed _'fuck this!'_

Riku hovered in his seat, feeling awkward again. He didn't know how they could all just skip over that argument like it was nothing. It was as Roxas had ruthlessly ripped up the seams that kept Riku's life neatly together, and now he was staring at the mess that lingered in the underbelly of their shining islands. He'd grown up his whole life being told the islands were perfect, that they wanted for nothing.

They made their own food, could control the weather, and had endless energy churned by the underground labyrinth of water canals and solar panels. Riku had been told this was paradise, but he could see right before him that this wasn't the truth. He'd happily eaten a meal they'd risked their necks for. 

A touch on his arm startled him. Sora was beside him, smiling softly. "Come on, we normally move to the stage after dinner." He grabbed Riku's plates for him, and before he could help it Riku was snatching them back.

"Don't!" His voice was a bit too sharp, but everyone was too distracted with clean up to notice. Seeing the look on Sora's face, he lowered his voice. "I can do it. Roxas was right. I just didn't see it before."

For a moment, Sora seemed stuck between two thoughts, but then he grinned and patted Riku's arm, lingering for just a moment longer. "Roxy's _always_ right."

A devious part of Riku's mind instantly stored _'Roxy'_ away for later, but the rest of his mind was stuck on Sora's warm touch on his skin. He'd hugged Roxas earlier, and he'd grabbed Riku by the wrist plenty of times, so maybe down here they were just... _used_ to touching each other. But Riku wasn't.

He swallowed hard, and then grabbed Sora's hand with his. He met Sora's wide blue eyes, tracing his freckles and noting his thick his lashes were, heavy and pretty. The bridge of his nose was darker where he got more sun, and Riku bet his shoulders would be similarly tanned and golden. The thought of his bare shoulders and _more_ sent a spark of nervous energy through Riku, and he squeezed Sora's hand tight before slipping away, hyper aware of his noisy family around them.

His cheeks were burning when he handed the dishes over to Vanitas by the sink, but thankfully he was too busy grumbling under his breath to notice. When he hesitated again, Vanitas sighed. "Just _go._ Don't need your awkward ass hanging around me. It's my turn to do the dishes so _I_ do them."

He was a little offended. Riku wasn't awkward where he was from, but he was so out of his element here. He never knew what he was expected to do, or how he might offend them. Roxas was a shining example of taking any bone Riku could throw to beat him with verbally. 

But the telltale hunch to Vanitas' shoulders and the way he avoided Riku's gaze spoke a different story. He wasn't being crass to rib Riku. It was his way of telling Riku to chill out. Or maybe he was reading into it. 

Nonetheless, he nodded and left, skirting the edge of the dining table to head towards the back of the cafe. 'Stage' was a _generous_ term for what was little more than a circular platform raised two or three feet off the ground. It was tucked against the far wall that curved around it, windows splaying around it in a dazzling pattern of stained glass. It made Riku wonder who could've abandoned such a gorgeous building. It'd clearly been left neglected for years before Sora stumbled upon it and decided to just stay there.

Instead of any instruments though, the bare wooden platform was covered in an obscene amount of blankets, pillows, cushions, and stuffed animals. Short stacks of books graced the floor in any available space between pillows, and one stack even had a mug on it. It was obvious some of them spent their free time there, lounging and reading. 

"Come on, Riku!" Sora waved at him from where he was tucked into one corner of pillows, and Riku carefully picked his way over Roxas, Ven, and Xion, trying not to topple anything. He sat cross-legged on one side of Sora, Roxas, then Xion, then Ven on the other side. A few lamps sat on the edge of the stage, bathing them in warm light, and distantly dishes and running water filled the buzzing silence.

It took Riku a moment to realize it wasn't the blood rushing in his ears or the rain that he was hearing. It was the insects from the woods and river, with rhythmic cricket song and a croaking accompaniment. The routine passing rain had finished before he'd noticed. He'd never actually heard them before, and it awed him a little to realize something in real life that he'd only ever read about. He wished they'd come here earlier. Maybe he and Sora could've sat in that patio just outside the double doors, feet dangling over the precipice where the guard rail had broken and peeled away.

After Sora was assured Vanitas didn't care if they started without him, he got comfortable tucked against Riku's side. Blood rushed to Riku's cheeks, but no one teased them, and he slowly relaxed, too. Sora launched into a story of how he'd slipped into a summer house of a branch of Riku's family, though he wisely kept that to himself, and the talk he'd accidentally overheard, about the ancient dragons long since gone now, of the world below them, waiting to greet whoever plummeted off the islands. 

They were fairy tales, myths told to children to scare them into obedience. 'Be good, or the mind reading dragons will come back.' Most people thought they'd never existed, but avid groups insisted the species was extinct now, evidence of their bones and scales found even in the dirt of their islands.

They fell into a playful debate about whether they _really_ existed, and even though Riku knew Sora had to sneak him back into his home before dawn, for just a moment it felt like he belonged. He'd never cuddled with anyone before, and having Sora tucked against him was an addicting feeling.

If the dragons really existed, he hoped they'd forgive him for wishful thinking.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed this, and that it still makes sense even out of context. 
> 
> For those wondering, magic is an uncommon but not wholly rare ability. Alchemy is considered to be more noble, and Riku is forced to study it as any right noble would. All of heartsquad have powers. Sora's is just lucky. His gambles always work out, he's got the best timing, he can make plants grow faster, do a little healing, he has a charmed life so to speak, but its pretty useless outside of making everyday living a tad easier. The only exception is, he's the only one who can cast magic without a spell. Vanitas' is powerful and destructive, with the drawback of self-inflicting pain, Ven is great at being a sort of conduit for Vanitas. Roxas is similar to Vanitas but on a smaller scale (and no drawbacks), while Xion can copy any spell at the risk of losing a memory (small or important or meaningless. for example, she can't remember how to tie her shoelaces and she never will remember.)
> 
> I really hope to write more for this verse but even just this standalone oneshot required a lot... here's hoping I do someday. 
> 
> Thanks for reading!


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